Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has expressed disappointment at the re-election of Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission.
“The outcome of today’s vote represents a missed opportunity by MEPs to restore some credibility to the EU, which has been badly damaged on the world stage by its callous indifference to the continuing genocide in Gaza.
“It should never be forgotten that Ms von der Leyen gave the EU’s unqualified support for Israel’s war crimes at the beginning of this conflict, which has since claimed more than 38,000 Palestinian lives.
“Given that Ms von der Leyen had no authority to usurp member states’ foreign policies, her comments amounted to an egregious overreach of her position.
“Her re-election as Commission President means we can expect little or no meaningful action by the EU against Israel for its genocide in Gaza.
“It must also be remembered that when former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar wrote to Ms von der Leyen seeking a review of the EU-Israel trade agreement, she didn’t even reply to his letter. That alone speaks volumes about where her loyalties lie.
“The Irish Government’s support for a second term for Ursula von der Leyen is completely at odds with its strong words of condemnation of Israel’s brutal military assault in Gaza – and Ireland’s official recognition of the State of Palestine.
“Fine Gael MEPs voted for and defended the reappointment of von der Leyen, despite her utter failure to act in the face of genocide. This is in stark contrast with rhetoric on Gaza from Fine Gael.
“While Fianna Fáil MEPs had indicated they would not vote for her today, it is notable that this was not the position of their own party leader, who seemed more concerned about the status of Michael McGrath’s Commissioner role than the damage caused to the EU’s reputation by Ms von der Leyen’s support for Israel.”
July 18, 2024